Home Office denies 'burying bad news' claims

July 13, 2006

The Home Office has hit back at accusations made in a national newspaper of unethical PR. A Daily Telegraph report last week accused Home Secretary Dr John Reid of 'burying bad news' after the department announced it was reviewing the way it releases official research.

The newspaper likened the move to the scandal of Jo Moore, who notoriously said 9/11 was ‘a good day to bury bad news'.

‘We publish a huge amount of research whether it is "good" or "bad" news. We always flag it up with home affairs correspondents. Would we do this... to bury information?' a spokesman told PRWeek.

The Home Office changed the way it delivers academic research, from ad hoc to once a month, when Reid arrived. Journalists have complained, saying the monthly briefings offer too much information to dissect at once. The Daily Telegraph claimed the department was trying to stop the publication of negative research.